UMAT News and Updates 2018!

UMAT 2018 registrations opened early December 2017. UMAT 2018 will be held on the 25th of July 2018, Wednesday. Looking at the history of the UMAT dates, it is highly likely that UMAT 2019 will also be held on the last Wednesday of July, which will be 31st of July 2019.

In 2016 Bond has cancelled UMAT as part of their selection criteria into medicine. However, as of 2018 (current season), Bond University has introduced their own Psychometric Test as part of their selection criteria into their medical degree. Based on student's academic achievement, about 50% of applicants will be offered an opportunity to complete a compulsory online test. There is a fee for this Psychometric Test which will have to be paid by the student. The MMI interview offers for Bond University will be based on the results of this Psychometric Test.

The test aims to select students with character traits important for a successful career as a Doctor, for example, resilience, logical reasoning and empathy. Moreover, the test is designed to “rule out” personality traits such as narcissism, which have been recognised as a common cause of rogue (dishonest and unprincipled) medical practitioners. Read more...

From 2018, Macquarie University has introduced a Postgraduate Medicine Course.

Since 2017, University of New South Wales no longer requires UMAT when applying for Optometry.

Since 2017, Charles Sturt University has introduced UMAT as one of the selection tools into their Dental Science course.

The Curtin University (Western Australia) Curtin Medical School, has been approved by the Federal Government for commencement in 2017. Curtin’s five-year direct-entry medical degree will be the only undergraduate entry program in the State, and will have a strong emphasis on primary care, which will position graduates well for rural and remote practice, as well as outer suburban locations, where there is an acute shortage of doctors.

Medical Interviews Preparation Workshop - NSW, SA, VIC, QLD, WA

For those fortunate enough to have made it successfully through UMAT, year twelve and the cutthroat selection process for interviews ... well done! The final stage of realising your career dreams is the successful survival and completion of the medical interview / oral assessment process. Just as with the UMAT, your performance will be guided by a wide variety of elements such as preparation, self-understanding, specific knowledge, the ability to perform and communicate under pressure and, what some might call, your charm and presentation skills (your ability to display an intriguing or attractive and proactive personality).

The medical interview is the final stage of assessing and ranking a range of personal competencies as well as your ability to undertake studies in the respective fields. It is a personal assessment of who you are, what you have to offer and how suitable you will be. Just as with the UMAT, you cannot underestimate the interview or take it too lightly. It is a serious process and is seen as a highly integral element of the selection process. Furthermore, it is a highly competitive forum where you will be assessed against other candidates who have not only strived as hard as you have to achieve their goals, but are also just as sincere and single minded in their desire to be interviewed successfully. Hence, the ultimate aim is to lift your performance above the competition, validating your sincerity and burning positive lasting impressions into the minds of the selection panel.

So how will you achieve success?

How will you be at your best?

How will you gain that slight edge required to outperform the other candidates?

Many people may consider that preparing for medical interview is unnecessary, or follow the university's advise and go unprepared or how they like to call it 'natural'. The truth is that just like any presentation or performance, any well rounded and dedicated professional will prepare as much as possible in order to minimise the negative variables and maximise the positive controls. Furthermore, the interview panel themselves are a professional assessment group. As such, any successful candidate will need to demonstrate a respective level of professionalism – taking the interview seriously, displaying appropriate levels of respect and in essence, being professional enough to be prepared will certainly complement the panel and support the depth of desire you have to be accepted.

Realistically, during an interview you are meeting new people, selling yourself and your skills and often getting the third degree about what you know or do not know. You have one opportunity to be at your best and it will be limited by the time available, the questions asked and how thoroughly and effectively you answer them.

The majority of students find the NIE Interview Techniques Manual to be an absolutely essential tool for medical interview / oral assessment preparation. Yet, for those who feel that they would like an extra edge and complete training, NIE also offers personalised one-on-one mock interviews and coaching with personalised feedback sessions, as well as intensive UMAT Medical Interviews and Communication Skills workshops.

Are you in Year 10, 11 or 12 and considering career in medicine, dentistry, or optometry? Due to high demand NIE and UMAT Australia will continue to run the ‘The Simulated UMAT Day"program in 2016 . Please note, places for this event are strictly limited and registration is required. Click here to register if you are committed to doing your best on the UMAT.

This event will be conducted by UMAT Australia and The National Institute of Education, the only UMAT preparation organisations which use teachers accredited by the Department of Education and Training to prepare students for this critical test. NIE is also a member of the Australian Tutoring Association (ATA), and NIE teachers are accredited by the ATA, and are holders of the Working with Children Checks (WWCC). If you do your research you will find that this is very important, and is also recommended by the Department of Fair Trading when hiring a tutor.

Our workshops are designed to cover every section, the various types of UMAT-style questions to be encountered and how to tackle them, and then to check where you are at with respect to UMAT-specific study, throwing a full-blown UMAT NIE practice test at you. How will you fare? How have you been going? Which UMAT style questions still need work?

In the intensive one day course you will spend time with our teachers as they go through Logical Reasoning, Understanding People and Non-verbal Reasoning sections, as well as Medical Interviews.

Just after lunch comes the challenge - a sitting of the UMAT under strict UMAT conditions, for the full three hours. Are you ready for the big day yet?

A post-test short breath-catching break is then allowed, just prior to our teachers going over the exam with you. Worked answers are elucidated, misunderstandings cleared up.

Our face-to-face UMAT workshop is an excellent chance for you to assess yourself (while being assessed!) and discover what areas need the most attention.

Make sure you take the opportunity to meet and discuss the UMAT with our expert teachers, and ask any questions you may have.

We are here to help you with your preparation and ensure your best UMAT performance!

Disclaimer: Venues at which the NIE workshops are held such as UNSW, UQLD, UWA and UniSA are in no way are associated with the NIE or advertised programs. The venues used are solely for room and facilities hire only.

UMAT Courses - message to Parents, Students and Teachers

If you, your child, or your student will be sitting UMAT in 2016, 2017 or 2018, early test preparation is a must! Strategic and determined students start their UMAT preparation in Years 10 and 11 to ensure they are well-prepared for the test before the final year of school commences. Remember, that in order to be in a competitive position for the university placement, students need to have a high ATAR as well as a sufficient UMAT score. Students should not risk their ATAR by leaving UMAT preparation until year 12. Click here to view the UMAT Preparation Courses and UMAT Books

UMAT 2018 Date

When is UMAT 2018 held?

UMAT 2018 will be held on Wednesday, 25th of July 2018.

UMAT 2018 registrations (for university admissions in 2019) will open early December 2017.

Registration for UMAT 2018 will close on the 1st of June 2018, with late registrations being accepted up until 5.00pm AEST on the 15th of June 2018 (late fee of $65 on top of the registration fee applies).

UMAT 2018 results will be released mid-September.

Student will have to apply to each individual university by the published deadline, which is usually 30th of September. Some universities might have a different deadline date, and hence students are highly encourage to do their research early.

Medical interview offers 2018 will star to progressively come out from mid-October 2018 onwards. Different universities will have specific dates for releasing the interview offers, as well as when the interviews will be held for local and intestate applicants.

UMAT 2016 feedback

Hi NIE! I thought I would drop a quick testimonial. I am so glad I enrolled into your Platinum course earlier this year. UMAT was very tough, and few novelties in all sections, especially section 3. I was also enrolled into another course, but I really feel that your platinum pack 1 and 2 books got me to think outside the box. Initially I was a little frustrated when using those books as it took me a hwile to figure out each question, but when similar difficulty and style questions turned up in the UMAT I finally got to rip the benefits from my UMAT preparation. Thank you NIE. Keep your good work. (comment: 29.07.2016, 6.23pm)

Dear NIE, I sat UMAT two days ago, and glad that it is over now. The test was difficult, but I managed to get through and finished on-time. I would like to thank NIE for your continues support in helping me with my preparation for the last couple of years. I had Platinum package, and I feel like it saved me especially for section 3 this year. While I did learn different rules to solve the questions with patterns and pick the middle, but especially platinum books allowed me to think broadly in terms of looking at non-verbal reasoning questions that did not have an obvious pattern to it. Once again thank you, and hopefully I will see you for the interviews training session later in the year! (comment: 31.07.2016, 9.49pm)

Hi everyone! I just wanted to say thank you heaps for the great UMAT preparation course. I think the test went really well, and I found your practice questions to be very similar and so close to the questions in the test yesterday. With majority of the non-verbal reasoning questions, I almost felt like I have done those questions before, and hence solved them very fast. Your books and the strategies I learned during the workshop helped me immensely. Once again, thank you so much for everything!(comment: 31.07.2016, 7.47pm)

Hi . The questions in your books and the timed tests really helped me to get ready for the UMAT today" Thank you for your support, Alex.(comment: 31.07.2016, 11.02pm)

UMAT is over!!!!!!!!!! Now I can get back to my trials....Amanda, thank you for sending me book 3 on such short notice before the test. I think that's the only section I did really well in, I didn't get a chance to study for anything else. I need to buy your complete course for UMAT next year. (comment: 31.07.2016, 7.47pm)

Hi Sasha, my son is very happy with the UMAT yesterday, we are all very anxious to find out what score he will get. As you know our daughter also want to study medicine. I would like for her to take your UMAT course in 2015, when can we enrol and buy the 2015 books? Thank you, Suzanna (comment: 01.08.2016,11.09am)

Very stressful day once again, but I think I've done well this time much better than last year when I left preparation till the last minute. Thanks heaps for all the strategies you suggested, I think your course is heaps good and relevant for this test.(comment: 30.07.2016, 8.17am)

All good, thanks for the workshop and the books. I was in your premium course, and I think it is very relevant and helpful for the test preparation.(comment: 01.08.2016,12.56pm)

Hello NIE. I am so glad UMAT is over. I have a good feeling I will get a good score this year again. I missed out on your UMAT interview prep last time and hence didn't get into the university of my choice. Will you be taking more students for interview training this year? I really need to make sure to get a place with you for this year if I do get interview offer. How can I make sure to get a spot with you this year? I attended another course interview workshop last year, and I didn't learn much. I really want to be part of your one-on-one interview training. Can I somehow pre-book a spot to make sure I don't miss out. (comment: 29.07.2016, 3.29pm)

Thank you to all the NIE tutors, and the books you sent me...your prep course is very good, and like you said attending your UMAT workshop prep day was like to attempt the actual UMAT before the real test...ow it will be a painful waiting game to get the scores (comment: 02.08.2016, 9.11am)

UMAT Preparation Courses and Workshops - reviews & feedback

If you already attended our UMAT workshop, we would kindly appreciate if you could click here to submit your feedback about your experience on the day!

"Very thorough explanations of the pattern questions in section 3 helped me solve the questions much faster, also looking at the questions and answers in section 1 and section 2 was helpful. Interview training was extremely beneficial, would definitely without a doubt come to NIE for training if offered an interview. Very friendly teachers who knew exactly what they were talking about and had genuine interest in helping the students to score well in the UMAT."

"Thank you for the workshop yesterday. I am so glad I went. Was a great eye-opener for me. I am in year 11 now, should I come to your next workshop again?"

"The workshop was fun, and it was nice to have three different teachers, I never got bored and the day went very fast. I signed up my younger son for your Sydney June workshop. Thanks again!"

"The talks about strategy and how to approach questions, especially construct 3 techniques and also the psychology behind construct 2."

"I wish I knew about your organisation last year, extremely satisfied with what I got out of the day."

"The mock exam was very beneficial as you are able to experience what an actual UMAT is like. However, I also found the feedback during the practical activities (interviews and scenarios) very helpful."

"Hi NIE, I just would like to say thank you to Zob, Luan and Sasha for providing me with this learning opportunity. I was going to give up on UMAT as after completing my ACER booklets I felt like there is no way I can get a good score in the UMAT, now I actually believe I am going to be just fine :) Thank you."

"I did UMAT last year and scored very low. After attending your workshop this year, I felt that your mock test paper was just as difficult if not more. It was fantastic to have very similar questions in your practice UMAT test as the questions I had in last year's UMAT. I felt like I sat UMAT all over again, and can really see now the areas where I am struggling and require improvement."

"Thank you to all of the teachers at the workshop who stayed behind answering my questions, I did not realise that I took over an hour of your time. Thank you!"

"Great workshop, very beneficial, gave myself a good pat on the back for attending."

"I have been to all your workshops since 2011, and every time I learn something new. My scores in 2011 were around 12th percentile, then they were around 50th last year, and this year I came first in the class for all three sections. I feel very confident to sit the UMAT this year! I appreciate your support and dedication."

"Section 1 - clarified some things for me, just need to practice more to get better at it. Section 2 - was very informative, and I thought it was useful to have a Psychology lecturer going over this section, and now that I know the reasoning behind section 2 testing my approach to solving the questions took 360 degree turn. Section 3 - brilliant! I could not even do one question at the beginning of the workshop, now it's my most favourite section of the UMAT. I actually stayed up until 3am doing practice questions for this section after your workshop, very motivated now when I know what I am doing. Thank you to all the teachers."

"My friend told me that you can't get ready for UMAT and that it is a general knowledge test. I actually feel relieved that I enrolled into your UMAT training course, otherwise I would have been very angry at myself on the 30th of July this year for listening to my friend. Thanks NIE and the teachers."

"I was warmly surprised when I dropped my daughter off in the morning and saw that this course was run by three teachers in a relatively small group of students. This is very uncommon these days. Great to see that your organisation takes teaching seriously. Money well spent, my daughter was very tired after the workshop, but very happy that she attended."

"My eldest son did your course in 2010 and now he is in UNSW doing Medicine, my second son did your course last year and he got accepted into UWS, my daughter did your UMAT course this year and hopefully she is on the way to Med as well. I would like to buy your new 2014 UMAT books though, could you please advise how to get them. Thank you."

Personalised GAMSAT Medical Interview Training 2017

NIE is the only UMAT and GAMSAT medical interview preparation and training organisation in Australia and New Zealand that is managed by the Department of Education and Training registered and accredited teachers. NIE is also a member of the Australian Tutoring Association (ATA), and NIE teachers are accredited by the ATA, and are holders of the Working with Children Checks (WWCC). We work closely with UMAT Australia as well as elite VCE training organisations to ensure that our students are well prepared for these critical tests.

Our reputation and strong relationship with schools and universities is based on the results achieved by our students. No other provider comes close to the NIE preparation courses, its content or success. We challenge you to find a lower priced program that can offer comprehensive hard copy books with brand new practice questions every year, works with smaller class sizes, has been conducting prep since 1999, is partnered with elite tutoring organisations, offers final practice exams as hard if not harder than the real UMAT, and is managed by the Department of Education and Training accredited teachers. We do not market or advertise like others, preferring to let our success stories do the talking. Our students come through word-of-mouth referrals, recommendations by schools, parents and friends of the previously successful UMAT candidates. Do not be fooled into thinking that an online course or a program run by students will be helpful for the UMAT.

There is a reason why we spend thousands of dollars on developing, printing and posting hundreds of book sets each year…because it works! UMAT is a paper test sat at a desk and that is exactly how you should prepare for it.

Sit through a strenuous simulated 3 hour interview with two experienced interviewers followed by a full written and verbal feedback session that covers body language, eye contact, etiquette, posture, animation, grammar, language, vocabulary, pronunciation, annunciation and speech, clothing and presentation, your individual answers to each question asked and personalised hints, tips and strategies.

If you would like more information on our professional UMAT or GAMSAT interview preparation and training services, please get in touch with us on 1300 974 187, mob. 0412 439 115 or send us an email .

Meet UMAT NIE at the next VCE and HSC Careers 2017 Expo

It is always a pleasure seeing students, parents and teachers who take UMAT preparation seriously.

At NIE we are very excited about all the upcoming 2017 Careers events. We will be seeing teachers, parents, and students at The VCE and Careers Expo in Melbourne on the 4-7 May 2017. You will find the UMAT NIE stand on Level 1, Booth 93.

Similarly, if you are from Sydney, make sure you don't miss the Sydney HSC and Careers Expo on the 1-4 June 2017 (UMAT NIE stand number 36), and the Western Sydney Careers Expo on the 22-25 June 2017 (UMAT NIE stand number 36). Come and talk to to one of our expert UMAT and Medical Interviews teachers, as well as check out the latest UMAT 2017 NIE Books. If you are considering sitting UMAT this year or in the future, we will ensure to provide you with a free UMAT resource (Introduction to UMAT manual), and you can also enter the draw to win one of our popular Platinum UMAT preparation packages.